Scottish Premiership Team of the Month: Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Aberdeen, St Johnstone and Dundee United players feature | Football News

Hearts are the dominant side in the Scottish Premiership Team of the Month for March as they close in on a third-place finish and European football.

There are four players from Robbie Neilson’s side in the XI after an unbeaten month, while Celtic take two spots after maintaining their three-point lead at the top of the table.

Rangers have one player in this month’s selection after three wins kept up the pressure on Ange Postecoglou’s side in the title race.

It was another entertaining month in the top flight with just four points separating fourth and 10th as the top-six battle looks set to go down to the final game, while St Johnstone moved further away from Dundee at the bottom.

Here, we take a look at the WhoScored.com best-rated XI for March…

Goalkeeper: Craig Gordon (Hearts) – 7.01 rating

Only Celtic and Rangers conceded fewer goals than Hearts in March with shot-stopper Craig Gordon featuring between the sticks having earned a WhoScored.com rating of 7.01.

He made six saves in March, the fourth most, while no goalkeeper kept more clean sheets than the two by the Scotland international.

Right-back: James Tavernier (Rangers) – 7.35 rating

Rangers only scored four league goals in March, a poor return by their lofty standards, but James Tavernier was again impressive with a rating of 7.35 enough to feature at right-back.

He created nine goalscoring chances, the second-most in the division in March, so he was unfortunate not to add to his 11 assists.

Centre-back: Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic) – 7.40 rating

The first of two Celtic players in the side, Cameron Carter-Vickers was key for a team that conceded just one goal in three league matches in March.

He maximised a statistically calculated WhoScored.com strength of ‘passing’, ranking second for accurate passes (291). Carter-Vickers also scored his third goal of the campaign to help return a rating of 7.40.

Centre-back: Liam Gordon (St Johnstone) – 7.39 rating

Liam Gordon dealt with any attacking threat with ease in March as he joins Carter-Vickers at the heart of the defence with a rating of 7.39.

Gordon ranked fifth for clearances (19) and third for aerial duels won (20) to make the team.

Left-back: Stephen Kingsley (Hearts) – 7.44 rating

The second of four Hearts players in the side rounds off the backline. Stephen Kingsley bagged his fifth league goal of the season in March as he netted in the win over Aberdeen at the beginning of the month.

He defended solidly, too, making eight tackles and interceptions combined to contribute towards his inclusion with a WhoScored.com rating of 7.44.

Right midfield: Barrie McKay (Hearts) – 7.68 rating

Barrie McKay had a direct hand in a goal in each of his three league outings in March, providing two assists and scoring his first goal of the season in the process.

Eight key passes was the fifth-best return in the division, while an additional five dribbles saw McKay land a WhoScored.com rating of 7.68.

Central midfield: Liam Smith (Dundee United) – 7.39 rating

The two goals Liam Smith has scored this season came in March as he found the back of the net against Livingston and Hearts.

A total of 11 aerial duels won was the 20th best in the division as the Dundee United star makes the cut in midfield with a rating of 7.39.

Central midfield: Lewis Ferguson (Aberdeen) – 7.29 rating

Lewis Ferguson joins Smith in the middle of the park with 13 tackles and interceptions combined the fifth-best in the division in March.

The 22-year-old also rattled in goals number eight and nine for the season in a man-of-the-match performance against Hibs at the weekend as he stars in the side with a WhoScored.com rating of 7.29.

Left midfield: Jota (Celtic) – 7.94 rating

With a rating of 7.94, Celtic’s Jota is the WhoScored.com Scottish Premiership Player of the Month.

Fourteen key passes was at least five more than any other player in the division in March, while no player registered more assists than the young Portuguese winger (two), which is level with McKay.

Striker: Callum Hendry (St Johnstone) – 7.47 rating

A double and a man-of-the-match showing against Motherwell at the weekend helped bump Callum Hendry’s average March rating up to 7.47 with the Scottish striker the second St Johnstone representative to make the side.

Hendry also completed more dribbles (nine) than any other player to help justify his selection.

Striker: Liam Boyce (Hearts) – 7.42 rating

The fourth and final Hearts player to make the XI is striker Liam Boyce, who scored his ninth league goal of the season in March.

Boyce should have had an assist in March, too, having created nine goalscoring chances to join Hendry on the frontline with a WhoScored.com rating of 7.42.